Trump’s Shock Proposal to Take Over Gaza Strip Faced Resounding Rejection
President Donald Trump’s surprise proposal for the United States to take over the Gaza Strip and resettle its people was met with widespread rejection from Palestinians, Middle East leaders, and governments around the world on Wednesday.
The Proposal
During a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, Trump announced his plan to take over Gaza and redevelop it, saying "The US will take over the Gaza Strip and we will do a job with it, too. We’ll own it." He claimed there was support from the "highest leadership" in the Middle East for his idea, but hours later, the leaders of Hamas, the Palestinian Authority, Egypt, Turkey, China, Britain, France, and Germany all rejected the proposal.
Reaction from Leaders
Hamas, which seized sole control of Gaza in 2007, branded the proposal "racist" and said it was "aggressive to our people and cause, won’t serve stability in the region and will only put oil on the fire." Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas rejected the proposal, saying "legitimate Palestinian rights are not negotiable" and that it would constitute a "serious violation" of international law. UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk said deporting people from occupied territory was "strictly prohibited" under international law.
International Reactions
Egypt and Jordan have rejected any resettlement from Gaza, with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty calling for a swift reconstruction "without the Palestinians leaving." Jordan’s King Abdullah II, in a meeting with Abbas, rejected "any attempts" to take control of Palestinian territories and displace people. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also lashed out, saying relocating Palestinians was something "neither we nor the region can accept." UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, "They must be allowed home, they must be allowed to rebuild, and we should be with them in that rebuild on the way to a two-state solution."
Conclusion
Trump’s proposal to take over Gaza and resettle its people has been met with widespread rejection from Palestinians, Middle East leaders, and governments around the world. The proposal lacks details on how the US would move out over two million Palestinians or control Gaza, and it is unclear how the US would achieve its goal of "making Gaza unbelievable" without displacing the local population.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the current situation in Gaza?
A: The Gaza Strip has been under a blockade by Israel and Egypt since 2007, and the territory has been devastated by several wars between Israel and Hamas.
Q: How many people have been killed in the Gaza war?
A: According to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry, at least 47,518 people have been killed in Gaza, mostly civilians, since the war began in October 2023. The United Nations considers the figures reliable.
Q: What is the international community’s stance on the proposal?
A: The international community, including the European Union, the United Nations, and many countries around the world, has rejected Trump’s proposal to take over Gaza and resettle its people.